In a major crackdown, the vigilance team of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has unearthed illegal discharge of hazardous effluents into Sabarmati river and a nearby lake by certain textile processing firms in Narol-Piplaj industrial area. Six units – Shraddha Processors, Geeta Processors, Vinod Denims, Harekrushna Fabrics, Blue Blend Denims and Mahak Processors – are facing a closure for this unscrupulous discharge. “These units will be closed for at least 15 days,” GPCB member-secretary Shri Hardik Shah said.
The 36-hour continuous operation that ended on December 24 revealed that these units were flouting norms by discharging the untreated and partially-treated industrial waste water through a nullah (natural drain) into Sabarmati instead of routing it through the mega pipeline.
It is believed that this practice was going on since 4-5 years and it was on a telephonic complaint that the operation was planned. The companies have been doing this to avoid the daily treatment and maintenance cost as well as capital expenditure to upgrade their existing effluent treatment facilities. Shri Shah also informed that GPCB has directed the Ahmedabad Textile Producers Association and Narol Industries Association to make arrangements to remove the effluents from the lake and then beautify it.
The Narol Industries Association is in the process of laying 11-km pipeline to collect and discharge industrial waste. The work for 7 km has been completed, but there has been a delay in constructing the remaining four km of pipeline due to various reasons. GPCB has asked the association to ensure that no unit gets illegal connections to discharge the waste.
